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What are the risk factors for colorectal cancer?

While we do not know the exact cause of most colorectal cancers, there are certain known risk factors.A risk factor is something that affects a person's chance of getting a disease. Some risk factors, like smoking, can be controlled. Others, such as a person's age, can't be changed.

But risk factors don't tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get the disease. And some people who get colorectal cancer may not have any known risk factors. Even if a person with colorectal cancer has a risk factor, it is often very hard to know what part that risk factor may have played in the development of the disease.

Researchers have found some risk factors that may increase a person's chance of getting polyps or colorectal cancer.

Risk factors you cannot change

Age: your risk gets higher as you get older

Having had colorectal cancer or certain kinds of polyps before

Having a history of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease

Family history of colorectal cancer

Race or ethnic background, such as being African American or Ashkenazi